Rath Yatra Ritual Dates for 2018
Hera Panchami: July 17. Goddess Lakshmi, the wife of Lord Jagannath, gets concerned because he hasn't come back. Irritated, she goes to Gundicha Temple to find him and see what's going on.
Bahuda Yatra: July 22. The grand return journey to the Lion's Gate entrance of Jagannath Temple. The chariots are drawn in reverse order.
Suna Besha: July 23. Decoration of the deities in gold ornaments. (This is a particularly popular ritual).
Adhara Pana: July 24. Offering the deities a healthy support drink.
Rath Yatra Legends
According to tradition and folklore, the origin of the Jagannath cult is tribal, where the god was symbolized as a log of wood signifying growth, procreation and tolerance. The Vedic period saw him emerge with a wooden stump-like structure for a body and large round eyes representing the sun and the moon- the ultimate sources of life and light. Even today the mystique of Jagannath lies in its shape. It is portrayed as a stumpy body with large prominent eyes on a shield-like face.
There is an interesting story about how Lord Jagannath, one of the various forms of Krishna, came to take this shape. The image of Lord Jagannath is said to have been created by Vishwakarma himself. Commissioned by Lord Vishnu to create this idol, Vishwakarma promised he would dazzle the gods by his creation but only if he was able to work alone unseen. Many months passed. Getting impatient, Lord Vishnu forced open the doors. The image was ready but the arms were incomplete. Even today Lord Jagannath stands in the temple with two stumps for arms.
Many believe that dying under the wheels of the chariot of Lord Jagannath would give them instant Moksh. Even today, the police keep an eye for those wanting to take this route to salvation. Tracing its origin to this belief is the English word juggernaut, which denotes a huge vehicle that would crush anything that comes in its way. However, the name Jagannath, from which juggernaut has been derived, means 'the Lord of the world'.
Rath Yatra Celebrations
The whole festival celebration includes three huge attractively decorated chariots resembling temple structures drawn throughout the streets at Puri. This holy festival is celebrated for nine days by the Hindu devotees to commemorate the holy journey of the Lord Jagannath, Lord Balabhadra including their sister Goddess Subhadra to the Gundicha Temple situated at 2 km distance from the Puri Jagannath temple. During the festival celebration, millions of Hindu devotees from all over the world come to the destination to be the part of celebration and get blessed with lots of blessings of the Lord Jagannath.
People pull chariots by singing devotional songs on the sound of drums and trumpets including other musical instruments. The whole celebration of the sacred festival gets broadcasted live on the various TV channels all through the India and abroad. Chariots construction works starts at Akshaya Trutiya in front of the Puri palace using woods of special trees such as dhausa, phassi and etc brought from the other state by the team of carpenter.
All the huge chariots are brought to the majestic temple at the Sinhadwara or Lion’s Gate. The chariot of the Lord Jagannath is entitled as the Nandighosa chariot having 45 feet height, 45 feet width, 16 wheels of 7 foot diameter and decorated red and yellow cloths. The chariot of Lord Balarama is entitled as Taladhwaja chariot having 44 feet height, 14 wheels of 7 foot diameter and decorated with red, blue or black cloths.
Rath Yatra History
Ratha Yatra festival is celebrated every year at second day of the shukla pakshya of the month of Ashad in the Orissa state of India at Puri to perform the procession of the Lord Jagannath chariots from the Puri Jagannath temple to the Gundicha Mata Temple through the Mausi Maa Temple. The chariots having the statue of Hindu God and Goddess are attractively decorated with colorful flowers. The procession held at Mausi Maa Temple for some time to complete the offerings.
The holy procession includes highly decorated three chariots (for Lord Puri Jagannath, Goddess Subhadra and Lord Balabhadra) much similar to temple which are pulled by the electric system or by the devotees throughout the streets at Puri. This festival is celebrated to complete the journey of Lord Puri Jagannath, Lord Balabhadra including their sister Subhadra to their aunt’s home means Gundicha Mata Temple. This festival attracts a huge crowd of the devotees from all over the world to take part in the holy procession of the God as well as fulfill their heartily wishes. People involved in the chariots pulling sing devotional songs, mantras with the sound of drum.
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Sri Gundicha: July 14. Placement of the deities in the chariots and journey to Gundicha Temple. The first chariot to move is that of Lord Balabhadra. Next is Subhadra's, and last Lord Jagannath's.
Hera Panchami: July 17. Goddess Lakshmi, the wife of Lord Jagannath, gets concerned because he hasn't come back. Irritated, she goes to Gundicha Temple to find him and see what's going on.
Bahuda Yatra: July 22. The grand return journey to the Lion's Gate entrance of Jagannath Temple. The chariots are drawn in reverse order.
Suna Besha: July 23. Decoration of the deities in gold ornaments. (This is a particularly popular ritual).
Adhara Pana: July 24. Offering the deities a healthy support drink.
Niladri Bijay: July 26. Deities are placed back inside Jagannath Temple.
According to tradition and folklore, the origin of the Jagannath cult is tribal, where the god was symbolized as a log of wood signifying growth, procreation and tolerance. The Vedic period saw him emerge with a wooden stump-like structure for a body and large round eyes representing the sun and the moon- the ultimate sources of life and light. Even today the mystique of Jagannath lies in its shape. It is portrayed as a stumpy body with large prominent eyes on a shield-like face.
Many believe that dying under the wheels of the chariot of Lord Jagannath would give them instant Moksh. Even today, the police keep an eye for those wanting to take this route to salvation. Tracing its origin to this belief is the English word juggernaut, which denotes a huge vehicle that would crush anything that comes in its way. However, the name Jagannath, from which juggernaut has been derived, means 'the Lord of the world'.
Rath Yatra Celebrations
The whole festival celebration includes three huge attractively decorated chariots resembling temple structures drawn throughout the streets at Puri. This holy festival is celebrated for nine days by the Hindu devotees to commemorate the holy journey of the Lord Jagannath, Lord Balabhadra including their sister Goddess Subhadra to the Gundicha Temple situated at 2 km distance from the Puri Jagannath temple. During the festival celebration, millions of Hindu devotees from all over the world come to the destination to be the part of celebration and get blessed with lots of blessings of the Lord Jagannath.
People pull chariots by singing devotional songs on the sound of drums and trumpets including other musical instruments. The whole celebration of the sacred festival gets broadcasted live on the various TV channels all through the India and abroad. Chariots construction works starts at Akshaya Trutiya in front of the Puri palace using woods of special trees such as dhausa, phassi and etc brought from the other state by the team of carpenter.
All the huge chariots are brought to the majestic temple at the Sinhadwara or Lion’s Gate. The chariot of the Lord Jagannath is entitled as the Nandighosa chariot having 45 feet height, 45 feet width, 16 wheels of 7 foot diameter and decorated red and yellow cloths. The chariot of Lord Balarama is entitled as Taladhwaja chariot having 44 feet height, 14 wheels of 7 foot diameter and decorated with red, blue or black cloths.
Rath Yatra History
Ratha Yatra festival is celebrated every year at second day of the shukla pakshya of the month of Ashad in the Orissa state of India at Puri to perform the procession of the Lord Jagannath chariots from the Puri Jagannath temple to the Gundicha Mata Temple through the Mausi Maa Temple. The chariots having the statue of Hindu God and Goddess are attractively decorated with colorful flowers. The procession held at Mausi Maa Temple for some time to complete the offerings.
The holy procession includes highly decorated three chariots (for Lord Puri Jagannath, Goddess Subhadra and Lord Balabhadra) much similar to temple which are pulled by the electric system or by the devotees throughout the streets at Puri. This festival is celebrated to complete the journey of Lord Puri Jagannath, Lord Balabhadra including their sister Subhadra to their aunt’s home means Gundicha Mata Temple. This festival attracts a huge crowd of the devotees from all over the world to take part in the holy procession of the God as well as fulfill their heartily wishes. People involved in the chariots pulling sing devotional songs, mantras with the sound of drum.
